Review: OlliOlli 2 XL Edition

In 2014 Roll7 released OlliOlli and now they’re heading back to our Xboxes and taking us to the bright lights of Olliwood with OlliOlli 2 XL Edition.

The world was once peppered with skateboarding games from various big names, though these have slowly diminished over the years, making OlliOlli 2 XL Edition a small breath of fresh air. The game scales back all the fancy graphics and realism of other titles, but doesn’t skrimp on the game mechanics or fun.

The controls to the game are pretty simple, though mastering these can take time. You start off in the skatepark, a basic tutorial that takes you through the core moves you will need before you’re unleashed on Olliwood. Though the help doesn’t abandon you here; the Trickionary is your handy guide on how to do all the moves, in a similar way to the move lists of fighting games. This is incredibly helpful if you haven’t the foggiest idea what a frontside 360 shove-it is or are unsure of the difference between a tailslide and a nosegrind.

Armed with the Trickionary and your arsenal of super sweet tricks and grinds, you set off working your way through the levels. In order to do this you have to get from start to finish without bailing off your skateboard in a way that YouTube would love. This isn’t as simple as it sounds as the levels get harder as you progress and there are obstacles in the way that force you to have to do jumps and tricks; you can’t just skate forward, though that would be dull anyway.

Each level also comes with bonus challenges that you will need to complete in order to unlock a pro level. These levels are trickier and also come with extra challenges that will keep you playing for a long time. There is a distinct amount of replay in OlliOlli 2 XL Edition as it really is a game of skill and mastery.

With a brilliant electronica soundtrack and colourful look OlliOlli 2 XL Edition would make the perfect addition to any party. You could easily set up challenges to get the highest score or get through the level the fastest and it’s just as entertaining to watch someone else play as it is to play it yourself.

OlliOlli 2 XL Edition is a fun game that is really easy to pick up and difficult to put down. The art style and sound make it perfect for playing with friends and there’s a lot of replay value for you to play through on your own too. It’s great to get excited about a skateboarding title once again, any fans of the genre will not be disappointed.